The Bainbidge was a brig-rigged sailing ship launched in 1842 at the Boston Navy Yard. It was 100-feet long, had a 25-foot beam, weighed 259 tons, had a crew of 100 and carried twelve 32-pdr. carronades.
Before the Civil War, it served in the Home, African and Brazil squadrons and had been decommissioned before returning to service in May 1861 and sent to the Gulf of Mexico where it captured three blockade-runners. On August 3, 1862, it joined the East Gulf Blockading Squadron.
In September 1862, it was ordered to Aspinwall, Panama. From November 22-24, it was hit by a really strong storm that caused all the spars, sails, gun carriages, howitzers, shot, powder, provisions and water to be jettisoned.
After that, the Golden Rule, sunk by the Alabama, was sent with replacements and didn't arrive, of course. Evidently another ship was sent and this one got through. After extensive repairs, the Bainbridge sailed to New York in May 1863 (after having been out of the business for quite a few additional months as Semmes had predicted,.
While proceeding to its new station with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, she capsized off Cape Hatteras August 21, 1863, with the loss of all but one of her crew.
The Story of a Ship. --Old B-R'er
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